Randolph High School Math League 2013-2014 Page 1

Diophantine Equations

1 Main Idea
Last meeting, we explored the concept of “Number Theory” and started to examine some tools that would help us
in situations where only integer solutions were necessary. This time, we continue that journey in another direction.

2 Factoring
When solving equations normally, it was always taught that you could only utilize factoring when one side of the
equation is equal to 0. For example, in order to solve the equation x2 + 5x = −6, you first had to rearrange the
equation to x2 + 5x + 6 = 0 before being able to factor. When solving a Diophantine Equation (one in which the
solution set consists only of integers), this is not always the case. Since there are a finite number of pairs of integers
that multiply to any given positive integer, it becomes possible to determine all possible values of these pairs.
Example 1. What are all pairs of positive integers (x, y) such that x2 − y 2 = 23?

Solution. Note that the left hand side factors to (x − y)(x + y) = 23. Since 23 is prime, if two positive integers
multiply to 23, one must be 1 and the other must be 23. We can easily eliminate the possibility of x + y being equal
to 1, so we now have the system of equations
(
x + y = 23,
x − y = 1,

for which (x, y) = (12, 11) . This is the only such pair. 

This is the most basic type of problem. The factorizations, however, will often be more difficult to spot.

3 Simon’s Favorite Factoring Trick

This trick, which is essentially an extension of the one presented above, occurs when there exists a multivariable
term. Often times, it is easy to factor by grouping. For example, if you had the equation xy + x + y + 1 = 16, you
could use grouping to get (x + 1)(y + 1) = 16, then proceed from there. However, Simon’s Favorite Factoring Trick
arises when that constant term is not the value that allows this factorization to take place. It involves adding a
constant to both sides of this type of equation so that factoring by grouping can be accomplished on the left side
of the equation. This is applied in the problem below.
Example 2 (AIME 1987). Find 3x2 y 2 if x and y are integers such that y 2 + 3x2 y 2 = 30x2 + 517.
Solution. The 3x2 y 2 term suggests factoring by grouping, or more relavently, SFFT. Moving all non-constant terms
to one side gives 3x2 y 2 + y 2 − 30x2 = 517, and subtracting 10 from both sides gives

3x2 y 2 + y 2 − 30x2 − 10 = y 2 (3x2 + 1) − 10(3x2 + 1) = (3x2 + 1)(y 2 − 10) = 507.

The prime factorization of 507 is 3 × 132 , and through some experimentation we see that the only solution that
works is (
3x2 + 1 = 13
=⇒ (x, y) = (2, 7).
y 2 − 10 = 39

The requested answer is thus 3 · 22 · 72 = 588 . 

4 More Difficult Problems

Example 3 (Own). It is given that 1812 can be written as the difference of the cubes of two consecutive positive
integers. Find the sum of these two integers.
Randolph High School Math League 2013-2014 Page 2

Solution. Let n be the smaller of the two integers. Then we may write 1812 = (n + 1)3 − n3 = 3n2 + 3n + 1. This
means that
1812 − 1 180 × 182
n(n + 1) = = = (22 × 3 × 5) × (2 × 7 × 13)
3 3
= (23 × 13) × (3 × 5 × 7) = 104 × 105.

Therefore 1812 = 1053 − 1043 , and the requested answer is 105 + 104 = 209 . 
Example 4 (AIME 2008). There exist unique positive integers x and y that satisfy the equation x2 +84x+2008 = y 2 .
Find x + y.

Solution. Complete the square on the left hand side to get (x + 42)2 + 244 = y 2 , so

244 = y 2 − (x + 42)2 = (y − x − 42)(y + x + 42).

The prime factorization of 244 is 22 · 61. We can be assured that there is only one solution in positive integers by
the following two observations:

1. y − x − 42 and y + x + 42 have the same parity (i.e. they are either both even or both odd),
2. y − x − 42 and y + x + 42 differ by at least 84.

Both of these observations assure us that setting y − x − 42 = 2 and y + x + 42 = 122 is the only way we will get a
solution in positive integers. Solving this system of equations gives (x, y) = (18, 62), so x + y = 18 + 62 = 080 . 

5 Tips
• Learn to recognize many different classic factorizations, including difference of squares, difference of cubes,
and so on. This will be a big help as you get to more difficult equations.

• Set anything you can to a variable. Often times, the problem may be a general statement, such as “Find all
positive primes p such that p2013 + 1 is a perfect square.” Instead of trying to figure out stuff semantically,
just set p2013 + 1 = k 2 for some integer k and give a new whack at the problem.
• Don’t forget about the stuff we learned last week! Number Theory is a subject that builds on itself, so
sometimes divisibility may come into play. Keep on the lookout, especially if primes are involved.

• When in doubt, manipulate! The factorization usually will not be staring in your face, so try to sculpt it from
the problem. If something looks like SFFT can kill it, try SFFT! If something less powerful seems possible,
go with that instead! You’ll never know if something fails until you try it. (This can be said about problem
solving in general, I guess.)

6 Problems
6.1 Problem Set A
1. [Math League HS 2012-2013] After I factored 94 in 2 different ways, I used my results to find the only 2 pairs
of positive integers (x, y) that satisfy (x − y)(x + y − 1) = 94. One of these pairs is (48, 47). What is the other
pair?

2. [AMC 10B 2011] In multiplying two positive integers a and b, Ron reversed the digits of the two-digit number
a. His erroneous product was 161. What is the correct value of the product of a and b?
3. [AMC 10A 2009] Positive integers a, b, and 2009, with a < b < 2009, form a geometric sequence with an
integer ratio. What is a?
(A) 7 (B) 41 (C) 49 (D) 289 (E) 2009
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4. [AMC 12A 2005] Let A, M , and C be digits with

(100A + 10B + C)(A + B + C) = 2005.

What is A?
5. [MATHCOUNTS ????] Find all positive integers x such that there exists a positive integer y satisfying
1 1 1
+ = .
x y 7

6. [Purple Comet MS 2011] Find the prime number p such that 71p + 1 is a perfect square.
7. [Math League HS 2012-2013] For every integer N > 0, there’s at least one pair of integers (a, b), with 0 < a ≤ b,
for which N = ab − (a + b). For example, 20 = 4 × 8 − (4 + 8) or 20 = 2 × 22 − (2 + 22). What are all positive
integers greater than 40 and less than 50 that have only one such representation?
8. [AHSME 1984] The number of triples (a, b, c) of positive integers which satisfy the simultaneous equations

ab + bc = 44,
ac + bc = 23,

is
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) 4
9. [PUMaC 2013] If p, q, and r are primes with pqr = 7(p + q + r), find p + q + r.
10. [AMC 10B 2008] How many right triangles have integer leg lengths a and b and a hypotenuse of length b + 1,
where b < 100?
(A) 6 (B) 7 (C) 8 (D) 9 (E) 10

6.2 Problem Set B

11. [Purple Comet HS 2004] Find n such that n − 76 and n + 76 are both cubes of positive integers.
12. [AIME 2013] Positive integers a and b satisfy the condition

log2 (log2a (log2b (21000 ))) = 0.

Find the sum of all possible values of a + b.

13. [AMC 10A 2013] In 4ABC, AB = 86, and AC = 97. A circle with center A and radius AB intersects BC at
points B and X. Moreover BX and CX have integer lengths. What is BC?
14. [Math League HS 2010-2011] What are all pairs of positive integers (a, b) for which a2 + b exceeds a + b2 by
36?

F 15. [Math League HS 2005-2006] What are both pairs of integers (x, y) for which 4y − 615 = x2 ?
F 16. [AIME 1987] Find the largest possible value of k for which 311 is expressible as the sum of k consecutive
positive integers.
FF 17. [AwesomeMath Test A] Find all pairs of integers (x, y) that satisfy the equation

2(x2 + y 2 ) + x + y = 5xy.